This invention relates to a shielding assembly in an arm of a recliner chair, and more particularly, to a plurality of plates that provide coverage of an opening in the arm during adjustment to each position of the recliner chair.
Recliner chairs are common in the furniture industry. Typically, recliner chairs are chairs having a base with arms fixed thereto, a recliner mechanism, extendable footrests, and adjustable seatbacks that allow a user to recline in several positions. One type of recliner chair is a sleep over recliner chair that typically has four positions in use: a closed, stowed position; an open, reclining position; a fully-reclined position; and a Trendelenberg position. These positions are achieved when the user activates a release lever that is attached to the recliner mechanism within the recliner chair. The connection between the recliner mechanism and the release lever is made by a drive tube, which extends through one arm of the recliner chair so that the release lever is accessible to the user.
During operation, the drive tube may move as the recliner mechanism moves through the various positions mentioned above. However, this drive tube movement is separate from the arm, which is typically a stationary component of the recliner chair. Accordingly, an opening in the arm is required to provide clearance for this drive tube movement. For particular reclining chairs (e.g., sleep over recliner chairs with independently functioning recliner and footrest mechanisms that provide the user multiple options for movement between seating, reclining, and sleeping positions as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/412,679, filed Apr. 27, 2006, entitled SLEEP OVER RECLINER CHAIR) the range of movement of the drive arm is quite large. Consequently, a large opening in the arm is necessary to prevent any interference with the drive tube.
The present invention pertains to a shielding assembly that resides within the arm of the recliner chair, and that covers the opening of the arm. Significantly, the design of the shielding assembly relates to a drive tube having a large range of movement, and that accommodates internal boundaries within the arm of the recliner chair. Further, the present invention provides a plurality of moving plates to attain coverage of the opening in the arm without restricting movement of the drive arm.